Chakaba
Masked Dancer on Stilts

Chakaba (pronounced shah-kah-bah) is the traditional African practice of wearing a sacred spirit mask while dancing on stilts. The practice goes by many names, depending on the African language that is spoken by the people.

One masked stilt-dancer explained it this way,

"My society calls it Nyon Kwoya (mask tall). It is known by that in Guinea. It is also known as Jacaba.

"It is called Agere in Nigeria. In Trinidad, they call it Moco Jumbie.